ButchTrucks wrote:
... the World Marathon Majors have also enacted rules that go far beyond the scope of what WADA/IAAF have laid out ...
I did some reading of what WMM has enacted. It is very consistent with what I've been saying about "enforcing the rules" and I couldn't find any mention of punishment for agents or coaches who have athletes who test positive.
The major points:
- They are working closely with IAAF. The increased testing, coordinated by the IAAF medical and anti-doping department, is in addition to and not a replacement to current national and international testing programs.
- WMM created the world's biggest privately funded anti-doping program with more than 150 named athletes required to be tested a minimum of 6 times per year while out-of-competition. They spelled out how the athletes are selected into the program. Athletes must participate in the testing in order to be eligible to receive prize money.
- They revised the process for prize money payment to be over a period of time so if an athlete later tests positive they can put into place a financial penalty.
- They are financially supporting the building of a testing facility in Kenya to be able to better test in Africa.
Nothing that I could find that penalizes an agent for their athletes' positive tests. Of course the IAAF can, and has, banned coaches and managers for providing banned drugs. That is nothing new.
US Road Races should work together and follow the lead of WMM. It will take some coordination and money, but it will be a major step forward in getting the sport clean rather than the way it is being handled now.